Walmart CEO Doug McMillon Affirms AI Will Transform ‘Every Job,’ Commits to Stable Headcount

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon has declared that artificial intelligence will fundamentally alter “literally every job” within the global retail giant, but assured that the company aims to maintain its current workforce levels. Speaking at a recent workforce conference, McMillon emphasized Walmart’s commitment to ensuring “everybody make it to the other side” of this technological transformation, even as AI integration accelerates.

The retail behemoth plans to keep its global headcount stable at approximately 2.1 million workers over the next three years. While some roles and tasks are expected to be automated or eliminated by AI, new positions will be created, leading to a significant shift in the mix of jobs rather than mass layoffs, according to Chief People Officer Donna Morris.

Walmart has already implemented AI solutions, including chatbots for customers, suppliers, and merchants, and has introduced new roles like “agent developers” to build internal AI tools. The company is actively tracking job types to inform training and preparation strategies for its evolving workforce.

This approach stands in contrast to some other major corporations, where AI adoption has directly led to job reductions. Salesforce, for instance, cut 4,000 customer support jobs due to AI-driven efficiency gains this year, and Accenture’s CEO noted that rapid AI integration has prompted layoffs with more possible if reskilling isn’t viable. However, McMillon reiterated Walmart’s dedication to human interaction, stating, “until we’re serving humanoid robots and they have the ability to spend money, we’re serving people. We are going to put people in front of people.”

Walmart’s ongoing investment in AI includes a significant partnership with Symbotic, announced earlier this year, to deploy an AI-enabled robotics platform aimed at enhancing online pickup and delivery services.

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